Adidas Golf Tour – the high-tech waterproof ghilles

A major requirement for golf shoes is protection from damp conditions. The Adidas Golf Tour360 4.0 was introduced in 2009 (successor to the 3.0). It is a cross-over athletic shoe which features Adidas 360-degree “wrap” technology water resistance and temperature control features. A special nano-waterproof coating is used to protect the mesh upper of the shoe, which repels water without sacrificing breathability. To help reduce the player’s centre of gravity the shoes incorporate Adidas THiNTech low-profile technology with a new ultrathin cleat system. The PINS cleat system TM was developed by Softspikes (a subsidiary of Pride Sports for adidas. According to the manufacturer the shoes are set 32 percent lower than conventional cleats. The high quality, low maintainance golf shoes are comfortable, functional and eye catching. Available in in medium and wide widths they come in a range of five colours: Running White/Black/Metallic Silver, Running White/Titan Metallic/University Red, Running White/Titan Metallic/Scout Metallic, Black/Black/Metallic Silver and Running White/Deep/Tin Metallic.

Nike: Music wherever you go

Tamara Mellon's Four inches

Blast just tried to buy a copy of Four Inches by Tamara Mellon on Amizon but they will not ship it to Australia for some reason. Drat! The book contains a collection of naked photographs of supermodels and celebs wearing only their Jimmy Coo high heels and Cartier diamonds . At the book launch several years ago Jimmy Choo was the host and auctioned the original plates to raise money for Sir Elton John's AIDS foundation. A pair of Ellen von Unwerth's shots of Elle Macpherson raised $76,000, while the Kate Moss photo by Sam Taylor Wood went for $57,000. While neither model could make the party, their fellow posers Rebecca Romijn, Rachel Hunter and Minnie Driver were there to chase up the bids. Sadly Paris Hilton had no luck – her picture failed to sell despite her promise to kiss the winning bidder. Mellon had the idea for the book because she loves coffee table books and wanted one of her own. Pity she could not get me one too.

Big and wide shoes where to go

The following is not an exhaustive list of suppliers.

apisfootwear.com
Big n wide shoes.com
Big shoes for big feet
Shoemakers.org.uk.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes

One hundred and forty men (140) men painted their toenails and slipped on some heels just to walk a mile recently in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes fundraiser. The walk at the Tanger Outlet Center at Kensington Valley in Howell Township, New Jersey raises money for LACASA, Livingston County's nonprofit organization for survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and domestic violence. Organisers are anticipating the fundraiser will beat previous records of $26,000. The walk was a family affair with many wives chosing (and in some cases designing) hubbies and kids outfits. The fundraising event is now help in April to correspond with Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Awareness Month. In the light spirit of the event, LACASA handed out awards to some participants who went above and beyond the call of volunteerism. Chris Nalley won the coveted "high-altitude" award for his outrageous 6-inch platform heels. Other award winners included Michigan State Police Sgt. Mark Thompson for "nicest pedicure," and Murphy for being the "donation diva," for raising the most money.
Similar events are held in other places including British Colombia, Millwaukee and California

New Gucci Sneaker Store London

The new Gucci sneaker store is opened in London. The Gucci Icon Temporary store was launched with an array of luminaries present including: Mark Ronson, Leigh Lezark and Frida Giannini. Twilight's Jamie Campbell-Bower and Harry Potter's Bonnie Wright paid a fleeting appearance at the openning. The temporary store is the home to the Italian fashion house's 17-piece limited edition sneaker collection, which is currently touring across the world. The highlight of the collection is the ‘Gucci Ronson' shoe - a trainer designed by Frida in collaboration with Mark Ronson. The collection consists of 15 men's styles and two women's designs - all housed in unique packaging designed specifically for London customers.

Bad Shoes & The Women Who Love Them

This Mothers Day there is only one book for a shoe crazed mum, ""Bad Shoes & The Women Who Love Them" (Seven Stories Press) by Leora Tanenbaum celebrates the sex appeal of fashion shoes as a lighthearted wake-up call to women to make informed decisions when buying and wearing them. The book explores the desire to wear 'bad shoes,' delves into the fascinating history and psychology of them, and gives the information needed to buy pairs that are both cute and comfy.The author covers the history of high heels, Chinese foot binding, the controversy over cosmetic surgery of the foot, and what Freud had to say about women's shoes and sex. Illustrated throughout by Vanessa Davis.

Celebrity shoe collection: Not bad feat, for a footman.

Hartley Miltchin is a podiatrist in Ontario and he likes to wear shoes without socks. He also likes to collect celebrity shoes and has over 300 pairs in his personal collection. The estimated value which includes two pairs of Elvis’s boots is worth approximately $3 million US. He started collecting in the 1990s with a pair of Air Jordans worn by Michael Jordan during the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls season. Gradually he expanded his collection criteria to include small screen divas, pop stars, musicians, actors and celebrities of all kinds. Miltchin bought most of his collection at charity auctions and many of the shoes are signed. In 2003, the Bata Shoe Museum held an exhibition of Miltchin’s collection called Starstruck: A Celebrity Shoe Soiree. Despite its monetry value the footman does not have his collection on permanent display and keeps them for his own delight. Being a podiatrist he cannot resist using the footwear to analyse the celebrities who once wore them. He told reporters, he thinks Marilyn Monroe put a lot of weight on the balls of her feet when she walked in her ‘Fuck Me’ pumps. Oprah would most likely have painful bunions and Lucille Ball wore her shoes until they were threadbare. His collection includes: Madonna’s six-inch leopard print Dolce & Gabbana heels, Britney Spears’ Skechers, Bette Midler’s practical pumps. Two pairs of Elvis’ boots. Ginger Spices’ white leather platforms, Phil Collins’ shoes and Chubby Checker’s custom black-and-white chequered boots. Shaq’s jaw-dropping, size 23 Reeboks, Tiger Wood’s golf shoes, with grass stuck in the cleats and a pair of OJ Simpson’s shoes when he played for the Buffalo Bills (1969-1977).

Ian Poulter: Links Bella Figure

There was a time when you could always spot a Yank by the clothes they wore. Golfers were easiest to locate because of their colourful sweaters and loud, plaid slacks. Now there has been a wind of change as more UK professionals are making their sartorial presence felt on the links. Standout bella figure is Ian Poulter (currently ranked No. 6 in the world). The Hitchin boy brings more than a flash of fashion to the green. According to his website he is a fashion designer as well as a professional golfer. In 2007 Poulter launched Ian Poulter Design (IJP). Hitchin, Hertfordshire lies in the middle of the British wooltrade so fabric may run in his veins as it certainly adorns his loins. Known for his radical dress sense, said to be inherited from his mother (manager of a woman’s fashion shop), he likes to match his colourful outfits with appropriate coordinated accessories i.e. hat, shoes and sunglasses. The golfer is a mad keen fan of Arsenal Football Club and has been known to wear the clubs logo on his golf shoes. He did once sport an Arsenal shirt during an event which met with such scorn by officialdom a new rule was introduced banning golfers form wearing football jerseys. For the Masters the golfer wore a melange of pink, blueberry, violet, white, and English Rose with matching custom pink-trimmed, FootJoy, FJ Icon golf shoes. Tartan and plait trousers do prevail in his outfits but he has also worn kacks featuring the famous Claret Jug (The Golf Champion Trophy). Something that is sure to irritate the Scots is when plaid is passed off as tartan but Poulter has that covered and his three seasonal plaids were designed under a license agreement with the Scottish Tartan Authority. The Poulter trews are cut in bootleg style with a notched hem to allow freedom of movement during the swing.
Unlike many of his contemporaries Poulter saw the benefit of starting his own line of clothing and shunned sponsor’s apparel. He seems to have ‘hot a hole in one’ because now his clothing sell in 35 countries.

Women and men: Wow there is a difference!

New study published in Research in Sports Medicine found there were significant differences between female and male feet. The authors took four hundred and twenty-four feet and four men's running shoe lasts (U.S. women 6.0-9.5), used for the manufacturing of women's shoes. These were scanned in three dimensions and six foot measures were quantified. Using a cluster analysis different foot types were classified then researchers compared last measures and specific foot type measures for eaxch classification. Findings revealed the differences in width measures between lasts and foot types varied substantially (0-9 mm). Width grading ws larger in lasts in comparison with average grading in feet (3.5-5.9 mm). The authors concluded the use of down-graded men's lasts for making women's shoes has to be questioned.

Reference
Krauss I, Valiant G, Horstmann T, Grau S. 2010 Comparison of female foot morphology and last design in athletic footwear--are men's lasts appropriate for women? Res Sports Med. 2010 Apr;18(2):140-56.

Bowling Shoes: What to do?

Time was, back in the mid 60s bowling shoes (ten pin) were all the rage with Mods. Two tone (two different colours) shoes have always been popular during periods when black and white musicians have shared the limelight. The phenomenon first saw light during the jazz era with Spectators. Colourful two tone Oxford brogues equally at home on the golf links as they were in the Speakeasies of Chicago and New York. The fashion for colourful and comfortable ath leisure shoes has come a full circle with bowling shoes very much back in vogue again. Just ask your local bowling alley manager and he or she can attest shoe theft of rentals is common among patrons as the new fashion fad takes hold. To the uninitiated bowling shoes come in left-handed and right-handed styles and the reason is, the way the game is played. One bowling shoe is a sliding shoe, and the other a braking shoe with sole traction. A right-handed person will have a right-foot shoe with traction and a left-foot shoe that slides. Rental shoes are not made specifically for right or left-handed players and come with soles similar to the sliding shoe. For bowling purposes performance bowling shoes are superior to athletic bowling shoes. But to the bella figura, athletic bowling shoes look and feel like your other athletic shoes. Most athletic bowling shoes have sliding soles on both the left and right shoe. However no traction on the sole can lead to a wardrobe malfunction such as an uncool slip or trip. Interchangeable bowling shoes have the ideal solution – interchangeable soles. Not only does this suit the keep player but does give added traction for day wear. Generally quality bowling shoes are well made with padded linings and collars, and cushioned insoles for added extra comfort. They support and stabilise the feet with added stability to optimise balance.



Types of Bowling Shoes

Hunters and Eagles

The wellington boot is associated with Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington, (the Iron Duke) (1769-1852). He instructed his shoemaker, Hoby of St. James' Street, London, to modify the Hessian 18th century boot and make it in calfskin leather. Wellingtons first appeared in 1817 and proved popular with the troops because they were hard wearing for battle yet comfortable for evening wear. The boot leather was treated with wax to make them softer and more waterproof. The new boots became a very popular fashion accessory for gentlemen. Considered fashionable and foppish in the best circles, they remained the main fashion for men through the 1840's. In the 50's they were more commonly made in the calf high version and in the 60's they were both superseded by the ankle boot, except for riding. After Charles Goodyear (1800-1860) invented a vulcanisation process for rubber some American bookmakers began making rubber boots. Hiram Hutchinson saw the potential to shod agricultural workers in France and bought the patent from Goodyear in 1852. He started a rubber boot company in Montargis called “La Compagnie du Caoutchouc Souple” (The Flexible Rubber Company). He patented a brand of wellington boots he called “A L’Aigle (or Homage to the Eagle) in 1853. The new waterproof boots were quick to become established and sold well within the large rural population (95% of the population). By 1857 the company were hand making 14000 pairs of boots per day. Now called Aigle, Aigle Wellington boots have become synonymous with quality and 95% of the Aigle’s collection is still handcrafted in France.
Fellow American, Henry Lee Norris moved to Edinburgh, Scotland and started producing rubber wellington boots in 1856. Norris believed Scotland was a good place to manufacture wellingtons because of the country’s high rainfall. Based at Castle Silk Mills his company was registered as the British Rubber Company. Four former bootmakers from New York trained the Scottish workforce and the company went in to production first making rubber shoes and boots but then quickly expanding to produce an extensive range of rubber products, included tyres, conveyor belts, combs, golf balls, hot water bottles and rubber flooring. Come the outbreak of the First World War (1914- 1918) the trench war ensured high production of rubber boots. In the Second World War the armed forces again used vast quantities of rubber wellington boots along with waders. In peace time farmers gardeners and fishermen made good use of rubber footwear. The new wellingtons (or ‘wellies’) had to be hard wearing and comfortable, usually made of natural rubber with good non-slip soles. Wellington boots came in a variety of colours and heights, but most are about knee-high and a number of them come up to the crotch and are worn as waders. The soles were also made of full rubber and had some form of tread on them for grip while walking in a stream or on wet ground. These boots are made to be waterproof.

The North British Rubber Company continued to prosper introducing both the Green Hunter and Royal Hunter wellingtons in 1955. The North British Rubber Company changed its name to Uniroyal Limited in 1966. More changes took place until eventually four decades later; the Wellington boot production section became Hunter Boot Limited. Hunter Wellington boots have transformed from being a solely practical item to now an extremely popular fashion brand.

Zeha Berlin

Zeha Berlin is a German company founded in Thuringia in 1897. After the war a new factory complex was built in Hohenlauben and the company started to produce football boots. The business quickly grew to become the flagship for sport-shoe manufacture in East Germany. In 1954 World Cup the champion West Germam team wore Zeha football boots. In 1960, Zeha became the official supplier of East Germany's Olympic team. Two years later, the shoes already featured their signature obliquely offset, dual stripes. Leather was scarce commodity in East Germany and so the company were keen to improve through research, innovation and improvisation. The State took over Zeha in 1972, and it ran until 1993 before it closed. In 2003 the company was reserected by two designers, Heine and Barré and now using cutting edge gtechnology and the finest Italian leather the legendary models of the past have been recreated. Zeha has three retail stores in Berlin, but also works with clients in several other countries, most of them in Europe. The shoes are produced in Slovakia and Italy. A pair of Zeha shoes from the basic collection costs about 130 euros ($193), while other models cost more than 200 euros. Boots sell for about 350 euros.

Pierre Molinier (1900 – 1976)

"Here lies
Pierre MOLINIER

Born on 13 April 1900 died around 1950

He was a man without morals

He was proud of it and gloried in it

No need to pray for him."

Pierre Molinier was a French artist born in Agen in 1900 the son of a house painter and decorator. At the age of 13, he began working as an apprentice painter to his father and took evening courses in drawing. He was deeply in love with his younger sister and profoundly affected by her premature death. Aged 18 he took photographs of his dead sister and as an artist wrestled with erotic phantasm and androgynous identity, which became recurring themes throughout his life and work. He started exhibiting his works of figurative or fauve landscapes and portraits in 1927. Circa 1936 the artist experimented with abstract but by the end of the Second World War turned towards esoterism and then fetishistic eroticism. His preoccupation with androgyny took the unusual form of himself adorned in female clothing as he identified himself with his elder sister, his daughter and a few other emblematic women. Molinier worked with green and reddish tones ("glacis" made of pigments symbolically mixed with his own sperm) in his painstaking technical and ideological compositions giving a unique and rare visual experience. In 1956 and now very much in the surrealist school André Breton organised a Paris exhibition of Molinier’s works. The artist’s preoccupation with sexual matters and blasphemy shocked the art world. By now the Bordeaux based artist had switched to photography he used self-made props (dolls, prosthetic limbs, high heels, black-net stockings, masks, and dildos etc.) to build a fantasy world. His photographs and photomontages were often portraits of himself as a woman. By cutting and reassembling body elements, he invented new fantastic creatures and gave them movement, although he had very primitive photographic equipment (bellows camera, wooden frames, no enlarger, home kitchen as a darkroom). He was essentially a leg fetishist but considered himself as a shaman, facetious and provocative, anti-bourgeois and anti-religious. His bazaar but fascinating photographs were an inspiration for many other European and North American body artists (Art corporal) in the early 70s. Pierre Molinier committed suicide aged 76.

Foot Massage

King Tut had a club foot

Following detailed analysis of shoes worn by King Tutankhamun (ruled 1333 BC – 1324 BC) studies have shown the boy king may have had talipes equino varus in his left foot. The subsequent limb length discrepancy would have caused him to walk with a limp. The 3,300-year-old footwear was discovered in Tutankamun’s tomb by Howard Carter in 1922. Extensive examination of his remains revealed he had juvenile ostechondrosis with a possible Freiberg’s infarction. He lacked a middle phalanx in his 2nd toe right foot. It is also claimed he died from a rare combination of malaria parcite infection and Kohler disease. Over 80 pieces of footwear of different sizes were buried with the boy king and most showed sign of wear. Many were badly deteriorated but some survived in reasonable condition. Three pairs of the royal shoes had horizontal extensions just below the toes and one pair had semi-circular panels at the shoe's sides. These additions were not common to footwear of the time and experts believe these may be orthopaedic extensions to the footwear to cope with his foot pathology. More elaborate shoes were found decorated with gemstone inlays and gold sheets but expert Andre Veldmeijeris believes these were never walked on. Instead the boy king would have been carried around wearing them or carried by servants. Andre Veldmeijeris is a Dutch archaeologist who specializes in ancient Egyptian leatherwork, footwear and cordage.

Reference
Veldmeijer A J 2009 Studies of ancient Egyptian footwear technological aspects. Part XV. Leather Curled-Toe Ankle Shoes PalArch’s Journal of Archaeology of Egypt/Egyptology, 6(4) (2009)

One day without shoes

On day without shoes. A quarter of a million people cannot be wrong.

New Wave Ignitus: Goal keepers - beware of the yellow pearl!

In many professional football clubs “wearing the yellow jersey” in not the same as in cycling where it is reserved for the leading cyclist. In football being given the yellow jersey by the coach is a reminder to all the first team player has not played well enough in the previous game. Of late wearing colourful boots has caught the ire of managers like Sir Alex Ferguson considering anything other than the classic black unacceptable in the junior ranks. Most unusual therefore the new boot catching a lot of attention is ‘yellow.’

Japanese company Mizuno are about to release the new Ignitus featuring mizunowave technology . According to the manufacturers the ‘Wave tech’ improves cushioning and stability in the outsole and combined with the bladed stud configuration gives optimal traction. The ultra lightweight boot weighs approx 229g and has an upper is made from a super soft K-leather material (sic. kangaroo skin?). Featured around the sweat spot (instep) is a panel which again according to Mizuno prevents ‘spinning’ of the ball. The Mukaiten panel is reinforced with wrap around Bio Vamps to give greater control. The Ignitus features a triple density heel counter, designed with the input and assistance of CSKA Moscow and Japan's Keisuke Honda. The triple Pebax density heel counter offers improved fit, comfort and protection from serious injury. The new boots are endorsed by Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City and Paraguay). According to soccerbible.com ‘expect to pay £110 for the pro level boot, which will be available in both soft and firm ground versions.’ The Ignitus is set for pre-order on 12th April 2010.

ECCO’s Golf Street Premiere: Cool Dude

Talk of the 2010 Masters is not the return of Tiger Woods but the form and shoes worn by Fred Couples. The 50 year old sockless wonder was seen on the green wearing low riding Hurley trousers with classic black ECCO Street Premiere golf shoes with a hunter's orange outsole. The shoes have pre-molded traction spikes which makes them similar to those of a turf shoe. Couples burst onto the Champions Tour with three victories i.e. 2010 Ace Group Classic, Toshiba Classic and the Cap Cana Championship. He has become the first player in Champions Tour history to win three of his first four career tournaments. Sponsored by ECCO he seems to find the shoes comfortable and lucky.

Golfers are never shy when it comes to a dash of colour and the new range of ECCO’s Golf Street Premiere line are available in pink, purple, orange, lime green, red as well as black.

Socks: Between You and Your Shoes

The latest exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum is entitled Socks: Between You and Your Shoes. The exhibition features approximately 40 rare pieces, including a sock dating back to the thirteenth century and made from human hair. There is a replica of the socks worn by the Otzi the Iceman (5,300 years ago). Knitting was first developed between 500 and 1200 C.E. in the Middle or Near East and on show is a 900 year old sock excavated in Egypt. Clothing by knitting spread along the Mediteranean into Spain before it became popular in Europe. By the 17th century knit socks were a staple in many people's wardrobes. Socks were also made of material that had been sewn together. The Ancient Romans wore socks made from sewn wool cloth, the Uzbek's of Western Asia traditionally wore boot socks of sewn leather and today in Japan many people still wear crisp cotton tabi with their zori. Sock-making was one of the first skills to be mechanized. In the late 16th century, Englishman William Lee invented the stocking frame, a machine that allowed socks to be knit at faster speeds than hand-kniktting. Over the centuries, refinements were made to his concept and today all kinds of socks, from thick sports socks to whisper-thin hose are factory fabricated. Other highlights in the exhibition include linen socks worn by King Charles I (1600-1649), Napoleon Bonaparte's socks worn during his exile on St. Helena, exquisite pale pink silk stockings worn by Queen Victoria during her reign and teeny, tiny hand-knitted socks made by talented knitter Althea Crome (Merback) who created all of the clothing worn by Coraline, the figurine in the stop-motion film by the same name.

Socks: Between You and Your Shoes will be on view until April 2011.

What are PUMA Lacelets and how can they save the planet?

As the summer approaches Africa will be at the centre of the footballing world. United Nations Envirment Program (UNEP) and PUMA are in partnership to bring an important message to millions of fans. The UNEP-PUMA ‘Play for Life campaign supports the International Year of Biodiversity by raising awareness about habitat and species conservation among football fans and the general public during worldwide football events. This will include and international friendly games leading up to the FIFA World Cup 2010 in South Africa. The International Year of Biodiversity (IYB) is a global initiative launched by the United Nations for 2010 to help raise awareness on the importance of biodiversity and to encourage worldwide action to conserve plants and animals and the environments in which they live. The ‘Play for Life’ campaign focuses on Africa, a continent that hosts exceptional biodiversity including two of the five most important wilderness areas on Earth – the Congo Basin, and Miombo-Mopane Woodlands and Savannas of Southern Africa. Nine of the planet’s 35 Biodiversity hotspots, the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on Earth, are also in Africa.

PUMA’s new Africa Unity Kit worn by 12 PUMA sponsored African football national teams has been approved by FIFA as the Official 3rd kit and profits from sales of the replica fanwear will help fund biodiversity programs in Africa. There is a host of other designed accessories to generate additional funds to support biodiversity, including PUMA Unity t-shirts and PUMA Lacelets (collectable shoe laces featuring patterns from world-renowned artist Kehinde Wiley). These products all bear the PUMA Yellow “life” Label, which gives consumers an easy way to identify products that benefit projects supported by PUMAVision, PUMA’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program. A portion of the profits from the Yellow “life” label products will also go to fund the biodiversity programmes.

Qingming

Qingming (清明节) is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated between March 26 and April 15. During Qingming people tend to the graves of their departed ones. Tomb Sweeping Day and Clear Bright Festival are the most common English translations of the Qingming Festival. The tradition stretches back more than 2,500 years and was credited to the Tang Emperor, Xuanzong in 732. He became concerned at the time and extravagance of people honoring their ancestors and curbed the practice restricting it to Qingming. The Communist Party of China banned Qingming in 1949 but later reinstated the holiday in 2008. Now Chinese families can remember and honor their ancestors at grave sites. During Qingming sons venerate their departed parents and paternal grandparents, while daughters venerate their father’s side before marriage and their husband’s after marriage. Young and old pray before their ancestors and sweep the tombs. During Qingming families offer food, tea, wine, chopsticks, and joss paper accessories to the departed. Joss paper accessories include paper money (Hell bank notes) and paper replicas of the departed’s favorite material goods such as cars, telephones, or TV sets. These are ceremonially burnt in honor of the departed. Many traditional superstitions are observed during Qingming including carrying willow branches. These are left on gates or outside houses to ward off evil spirits. Visitors to graveyards wear bright colours for the same reason. Pregnant women, babies and toddlers are discouraged from visiting graveyards for fear that loitering spirits might take advantage of the physically weak and snatch their souls. Visitors to the grave sites will sometimes let off fire-crackers as a “wake-up” call for the spirits. Young children are cautioned against making too much noise in case they disturb other spirits. The living should avoid stepping on hell currencies at the grave site lest the spirits feel despised and trampled upon. It is also forbidden to walk over a grave. Neither slippers nor sandals are worn to the grave sites. When offerings are left by the graveside these remain the property of the departed and bad luck will befall anyone who would remove them. The toss of coins is used to determine when the spirits have finished with the offerings. Worshippers flip coins twice to check on the progress. Two heads or two tails means that the spirits have not finished savoring the delicacies. A head and a tail mean that they have finished their meal. It is a bad omen to bring the earth from the cemetery into their homes for fear this will attract evil spirits. Socks and shoes are removed before entering the house and washed to rid them of any bad luck. Some people have ready a pail of water with pomelo or kaffir lime leaves to wash their faces, hands and legs. This is followed by a head-to-toe bath as a second cleansing to ward off any evil spirits.

Football Fanatics: Ugly boots for the beautiful game

To celebrate the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa TM, Isso Mali, has launched a new collection of sheepskin boots called Football Fanatics. The three styles of tall, midi and sidelacing are available in the colours of nineteen different countries (with more coming). The ‘soccer-uggs’ are bound to become terracing accessories for lads and ladettes alike. Football Fanatics are made from pure sheepskin and suede, hand cut and sewn using the softest wool cushioning. Currently these are only available online at the official Isso Mali website (www.issomali.com).

The Trimsole: Another heel less wonder

A new exercise fitflop is out there. The TrimSole was, according to the manufacuter, designed to help accelerate the toning of thighs, hips and bottom. The Trimsole is made with special built-in ‘trim-tech’ technology’ which consists of a camber in the bottom of the sole which acts like a rocker. Walking causes increase muscle tone in the calf and buttock muscles.

Body dysmorphic disorder and urban primitives

Apotemnophilia is a rare psychotic disorder in which the person has a compulsion to have an amputation of one limb or part there off. It was first described in 1977 and relates not to a sadistic nor masochistic intention, but instead to the idea of self-fulfilment brought about by being an amputee. The compulsion is similar to the angst suffered by transgender people who may be relieved only when transgender relocation is complete by surgical intervention.

Apotemnophilia can be distinguished from "acrotomophilia" which is a sexual attraction to amputees. Acrotomophilia is a paraphilia of the stigmatic/eligibilic type in which sexuerotic arousal and facilitation or attainment of orgasm is dependent only upon being with an amputee (humps in stumps), or an attraction to the idea of being an amputee (a wannabe). Apotemnophilia is not a sexual disorder but a major fixation on carrying out a self-contrived amputation, or obtaining one in a hospital. The cause of both conditions remains a mystery and although treatment involving counselling and pharmaceutical management is prescribed it frequently fails to relieve severe anxiety associated with apotemnophilia.

The condition often goes undiagnosed and more importantly untreated. Frustration and desperation drives many to self amputation with tragic consequences. Orthopaedic surgeons have on rare occasions amputated healthy limbs at the request of their patients. This procedure is not without controversy and will only be considered when all other forms of treatment have been exhausted.

As with gender relocation surgery protocols are strict and patients screened very carefully. Opposition to this type of cosmetic surgery is fierce and centres where these procedures are undertaken are few and far between in the world. Experts believe a recent increase of apotemnophilia may be due to the internet and networks of would-be self-amputators sharing their experience.

Body dysmorphic disorder is more common than apotemnophilia and this describes a condition where people are convinced they have a defect in their appearance. Believing they have a misshapen, smelly, or otherwise defective body part they will submit themself to all manner of cosmetic surgical procedures including going to the orthopaedic surgeon or surgical podiatrist to have a toe amputated (or part thereof). Others may suffer Munchhausen syndrome, a condition where people deliberately fain illness or induce symptoms, to seek care as a means of attention seeking. This can be so severe they will undergo needless operations including amputation. The important difference between apotemnophiliacs and people with Munchhausen syndrome is apotemnophiliacs are usually satisfied with one operation.

Body awareness is a major preoccupation with people of the 21st century as the rise in cosmetic surgery will attest. Not only do we have the technology we also have cues of people waiting to have expensive elective procedures done and this might include shortening the length of toes or surgically filleting them. Modern primitives (Urban primitives) is a term used to describe people in Western Society with tattoos, body piercing, scarification and the like and many have turned their attention to foot embellishments, such as foot rings, tattoos and decorative implants, branding and cutting. The motivation for engaging in these varied practices may be personal growth, rite of passage, or spiritual or sexual curiosity. Foot binding is also used by some to reduce the size of feet and ‘sculpting’ (self amputation of a toe - or parts thereof) is on the increase.

Footnote
In fifteenth century Spain, the male peacock fashion was to wear a broad fitting shoe that measured 12 inches across the ball of the foot. Called the Bears Paw each shoe had individual compartment for all ten toes. Previously the style had been to wear long pointed shoes (poulaines) but that came to an abrupt end. Costume in these days rarely changed so quickly unless there were good medical reasons (i.e. borne out by plagues etc.). The prince regent in Spain was born with polydactilism (six toes) and as it was more risky to amputate the sixth toe they decided to change the shoe fashion instead from long and thin to short and broad. The moon shoe footwear style caught on across the European Courts almost instantly. The reason being there was a syphilis epidemic which left many rich and powerful men with painful feet.

Thongage: Fine dining shoe police

John Spellman is a Darwin restaurateur who has introduced a $10 charge for people who wear thongs while dining. Dubbed "thongage," the surcharge is an attempt by Spellman, owner of the Tramontana restaurant, to up the dress code of his patrons. All thongage profits will be donated to a podiatry charity (sic. I am not aware of any) according to Spellman. The restaurateur is no stranger to promotion novelties. In his $1.7 million restaurant there are toilet cubicles with a difference. Men and women enter through the same door to find cubicles with glass doors and walls. But once inside, a press of a button frosts up the glass to opaque.

Footnote
Darwin is on the fringe of the mineral boom presently being enjoyed by Western Australia and money is rather plentiful for the few but of course some people do not take too kindly to sharing fine dining eateries with uncouth thong wearers (sandal). In rural Australia thongs are the footwear of choice in the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal populations.